Plymouth (Stonehouse to Mount Batten) - 7.5 miles

Looking towards Stonehouse

Today Ann decided that we would walk the most ‘built up’ area of the whole SWCP coast path which is the area around Plymouth.  She had a plan?!  The plan was we would park the car at ‘Stonehouse’ and then walk to the ‘Barbican’ and get the water taxi to ‘Mount Batten’ and then walk the 7.5 miles back.  We knew we would have to walk a couple of miles to the Barbican first so were expecting to do an extra couple of miles, as in effect we’d be walking the same section there and back.

However, what happened was; Ann didn’t really have a clue how to get to Stonehouse and so we ended up parking quite near the ‘Mount Wise Marina’ down by the swimming pools so that probably added another couple of miles onto our walk.  We started our walk at 11.45am.  The area between Mount Wise Marina and Stonehouse isn’t even part of the SWCP as the SWCP ends at Stonehouse and then there’s a ferry that goes across the estuary to Cornwall. 

Oh well, ho hum, it was a lovely day and we’ve had a great, but tiring walk.

For most of this walk I had to stay on my lead as we were walking along city roads.

It must be lovely to be a rich person and own a yacht on a sunny day like this.  And there must be lots of rich people in Plymouth because there were lots of yachts.

We walked past ‘Millbay Docks’ where all the big ‘Brittany Ferries’ leave for France & Spain.  And then along to ‘Plymouth Hoe’. 

Plymouth Hoe was bustling with activity.  Because it was such a lovely day there was people sunbathing, people skateboarding and roller skating, there was a ‘big wheel’, there were loads of ice cream vans and everyone seemed to be generally having a good time.  We didn’t loiter around though because Ann said that we had to get the water taxi across to ‘Mount Batten’ so that we could start our walk properly.

As luck would have it the water taxi was arriving just as we arrived at the wharf at 12.45pm so we were able to jump on first.  Just as well really, as it could only take 12 people and 5 mins. later it was full.  It cost £1.50 for Ann and I was free.  I was a very good girl.  I just sat very still beside Ann’s legs and I even let some of the other people on the boat stroke me.

Once off the water taxi we were in another marina.  More rich people?  We had a lovely little stroll past the marina and round to ‘Hoe Lake’.  Unfortunately we hadn’t realised how big Hoe Lake was.  We just thought it was a little water inlet.  We could see the other side, where we wanted to be but it took us a very long time to get there.  This was my favourite part of the walk because we had to go through a woody area so I was allowed off my lead.  Unfortunately there were lots of paths in the wood and none of them were signposted so we ended up on a path which took us round ‘Radford Lake’ which added even more distance to our walks.  I didn’t mind though because there were a lot of dogs playing there with balls.  I joined in briefly and stole a ball but when I gave it to Ann to throw it again she just put me on my lead, dragged me away and gave the ball back to who it belonged to.  So that wasn’t much fun?!

Then when we’d walked round both the lakes we ended up in a very posh housing estate down by the water.  There was definitely a lack of SWCP signs on this walk.  Very interesting, but that added more distance to our walk?!

Back on track and we walked through a lovely little village area.  I think at this point we were supposed to join up with a main road but we didn’t.  We ended up walking along a footpath through an industrial estate with wire fencing on both sides which had barbed wire on the top.  It was quite scary.  Fortunately we didn’t see anyone else but it was the type of place where we could have been murdered and no one would have known?!  We were glad when we spotted ‘Morrisons’ & ‘MacDonalds’ and knew we were just about to hit the A379.

Once over the ‘Laira Bridge’, again, we didn’t know where to go.  There were signs for the city centre, signs for cyclists but no signs for the SWCP?  A quick consultation of the map showed that we had to walk around another industrial site.  Being a Sunday there wasn’t much going on and there certainly wasn’t anyone else walking there.  Haven’t a clue what industry goes on in any of these buildings but we didn’t feel very comfortable at all.  In fact when we walked past one building an automated message came over a tanoy which said, ‘You have activated the alarm’.  We didn’t know if it was referring to us or whether there were burglars breaking in somewhere.  We just carried on walking – faster!

Anyway once through the horrible industrial estate there was a tiny little road leading up a hill which stated that there was no access except for cyclists.  But surprise, surprise there was a SWCP sign pointing upwards so off we went.  This little road was almost as scary as the footpath that we’d walked along earlier.  Except this one had high stone walls on each side.  On the left side there was a massive drop down a cliff onto industrial buildings below (lots of great views) and on the right side we couldn’t see over, so don’t know what was there.  Again we could have been murdered and no one would have known.  It was a bit scary because we saw three ‘lager louts’ coming towards us carrying bottles of beer and a big cassette player.  We ignored them, didn’t make eye contact and fortunately they walked past us without killing us, mugging us, or doing anything else horrible to us.

Got down the other side of the hill into a slummy residential area where there were lots of grotty looking kids riding around on bikes, lots of people hanging around at the entrance to flats and where there were lots of fat scruffy looking teenage mothers pushing prams with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths.  Probably where ‘Jeremy Kyle’ gets most of his material from?!  But then after walking through this area it turned into ‘high class waterfront development area’.

There’s a huge aquamarine centre right by the waterside and another marina with more fabulous yachts.  So once we walked across the locks guarding ‘Sutton Harbour’ we were back to where we’d got our water taxi from.

There’s loads of little water front cafes along the Hoe but everywhere was really busy so we didn’t stop.  We just kept walking till we got back to the car at about 3.45pm.

Today’s walk has been lovely.  Most of it has been on the flat, there have only been a couple of hills but we’re both really tired.  Walking for four hours on pavements is exhausting.  We’ve probably walked about 12 miles today.  But at least we’ve now done Plymouth.

Roll on the next section of the SWCP when I can be off my lead of the whole walk?!